Combined wheel mounting and brake therefor



Nov. 5, 1946. E. E. WALLACE 2,410,470

COMBINED WHEEL lV[0Ul1'].IXI('r AND BRAKE THEREFOR I Original Filed May 7, 1943 operating means therefor.

Patented Nov. 5, 1946 *'coMB1 En WHEEL MOUNTING AND BRAKE THEREFOR Edward E. Wallace, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Original application May 7, 1943, Serial No. v 485,979. Divided and this application August 17, 1944, Serial No. 549,935

This invention relates to a mounting for a wheel having incorporated therein a brake and The wheelv is, for illustrative purposes, shown mounted on an axle which in turn is mounted on the outer end of a supporting member for an airplane such as shown in my co-pending application filed April 14, 1943,

Serial No. 482,991.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 485,979, filed May '7, 1943. One object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for a wheel having incorporated therein a brake and an operating means therefor. U Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for a wheel consisting of a bifurcated member, wherein is provided a brake for the wheel and its operating means.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

wherein Fig. 1 is a, view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a wheel, its mounting, brake and operating means, embodying my invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on the lines 2'2 and il-3, respectively, of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, I indicatesa wheelaxle supported at its opposite ends in the depending arms or bifurcations Ix of a support Ir, which may consist of a retractile member as shown in the .8 Claims. (01. 188-48)- annular bead 9 on the adjacent side wall of a tire carcass ill. The innerside portions of the annular elements 4; 4a, and end walls of the chamber 6 form seats for annular keying elements ll, Ila, which co-operate with the ribs 8a to lock the carcass ID in position around the wheel rim. As shown, the carcass l0 comprises a tread portion Illa, which may be provided with suitable capping material (not shown), side walls having the heads 9 and a central web [2 extending radially inwardly from the tread portion lfla throughout its circumference. The inner peripheral portion of the web 12 is enlarged laterally on its opposite sides throughout its circumference,

as shown at l2], which enlargement fltsinto a recess l3 formed by cut-aways in the opposed or inner ends of the keying-elements ll, Ila. At spaced points throughout its circumference the enlargement 12' is formed with a plurality of spaced transverse through openings M each in registry with a through opening M formed in one of the keying elements ll, Ha, whereby-countersunk screws l5'may be mountedin the opening l4 and I4 and threaded into threaded openings 14" formed in the other keying'element to secure these parts together with the enlargement I 2' locked between them. Each keying element ll,

' Ila throughout its circumference is extended aforesaid application Ser. No. 482,991, the axle being preferably fixed to the arms by suitable elements 4, 4a, in side by side relation and con-' nected together by a plurality of dowel pins 5 (two only being shown). The walls of .the annular elements, adjacent their outer portions are off-set radially to form annular chambers 6 to accommodate the bearing cages 3, the outer bearing races having engagement with the side walls of the chambers. The side wall of each chamber 6 adjacent its outer end is (11) provided internally with screw threads to take a ring nut T. which is tightened against the adjacent cage 3 to secure it in the adjacent chamber 6, and (b) extended radially circumferentially. asshown at 8. to provide an inwardly extending rib 8a, which laps over and has interlocking engagement with the outwardly, as shown at H, over the side wall of the adjacent chamber 8, for engagement with the adjacent bead 9, whereby the keying element and bead may form a suitable seat for the walls of an inner-tube it. As shown, the web l2, keying elements H, Ila, beads 9 and carcass side walls and tread portion thereof form cavities for the inner tubes it, each of which may be inflated or deflated through a, suitable valve in a nipple (not shown); Bypreference, each wall 8 is formed throughout'its circumference with a plurality of openings 8 each in registry with a through opening [8 formed in the adjacent bead 9, so that countersunk screws 19 extending through these openings may be threaded into openings lBa formed in the adjacent extensions II to secure the bead 9 between these parts.

It will be understood that the construction of 20 indicates as an entirety a brake and its operating means, the operating means beingroi' the hydraulic type, but electrically controlled." 1 1 By preference a brake mechanism is provided at each side of the wheel, but as these mechanisms are similar in construction only one thereof will be described. The walls of the chambers l are shaped to provide enlarged annular recesses 2| outwardly of the ring nuts 1 to accommodate the sets of annular braking elements, each of which sets consists of an inner bearing member 23 suitably -fixed to the walls of the adjacent recess 2l, a plurality ofannular friction members 24, and an outer pressure member 25. The side walls of the recess are splined as shown at 2la in Fig. 2 and alternate friction members 24 are provided on their outer peripheries with complementary splines fitting the splines 2m to prevent rotation thereof, whereas the inner periphery of the pressure member 25 is provided with an inwardly extending collar 25a,'the inner wall of which is splined, as shown at a in Fig. 2 and the inner periphery of the other friction members 24, are provided with complementary splines fitting the splines 25a to prevent rotation thereof.

26, 26,,indlcates a pair of plungers slidably fitting diametrically related throughopenings 260 formed in the adjacent arm is, each plunger being provlded at itsinner'end with a screw threaded extension which is threaded into the adjacent pressure member 25, whereby movement of the plungers inwardly will exert pressure on the friction members 24 and movement thereof outwardly will relieve the pressure. The mounting of the plungers 26 in the openings 26a prevents rotation of the pressure member 25.

The axle l and plungers 2B, 26, are formed with alined through openings 21, 21', respectively, in

registry with an opening 21a extending through the adjacent arm Ir. 7

, A thrust rod 28 extends through these openlugs and is removably connected at its upper end to the lower end of apiston rod 29 having at its upperend a piston 26' which is reciprocatable in view an enlarged opening 3|! (also formed in the arm Ir). The walls of the opening 36 form the side walls of acylinder for the piston 23'. Y

,The inner side wall of the opening 21' formed in each plunger 26 is of convex shape to provide a cam and the thrust rod 28 is provided with annular recesses 3| the walls of which endwise of the rod are concaved substantially complementary to the convexwalls of the openings 21' to form cams which engage theconvex walls of the outer end of an endwise movable pin 33. The

inner end of the pin 33 is arranged to engage the wall of the recess 3| in the adjacent rod 23. The pin 33, adjacent its inner end is provided with a collar 33' which slidahly engages the walls of the recess to guide and support the inner end thereof, and between the collar 33' and the member 32 is a coiled spring 34, which normally tends to move the pin inwardly, so that due to the engagement of the pin 33 with the wall of the recess 3| the spring pressure will be exerted on the annular member 32 and through it to the plunger 26 to move the latter outwardly. When the thrust rod 28 is moved upwardly, the spring 34 will yield to permit movement of the pin 33 outwardly.

The upper end wall of the cylinder 30 is provided on the lower end of a casing 35. The casing 35 encloses thevalve, which controls the flow of the fluid under pressure to the cylinder 30 and its discharge therefrom, and the operating means for the valve. The external wall of the casing 35 adjacent its upper end is provided with screw 7 ister with these parts for in-flow and out-flow of the fluid, in the following manner, the plunger being shown in its down position;

openings 21. When these parts are in normal position, that is, pressure on the braking elements is relieved, the recesses 31 are in alinement with the plungers 26 (as shown in Fig. 1), but operation of the thrust rod upwardly, due tooperation of the piston 23, will effect a co-action between the walls of the recesses 3| and the convex walls of the plungers 26 and move the latter inwardly,

whereby a braking action on the wheel will take place. 'It will be obvious that if the .piston 23' is arranged to be at the upper end of its cylinder when the camming elements are in normal position, operation of the piston 29' downwardly will eifect a braking operation.

Means are provided f r moving the plunger 26 I outwardly when the t 1 t rod 28 moves into normal position, to insure relief of the braking elements or slippagefherebetween. These means are preferablyinountedf in the plunger 26, the outer end portions of whichv are recessed to accE' odate the relieving means, each of'which comprise the following: 7

d32-indicates aifannular member having screw threaded engagement with theinner wall of the .39 is an inlet duct connected at its outer end with the fluid supply and connected at its inner end to alined inlet ports 40, 4ii',in registry with the recess 38.

The port 40' is connected to a duct 41 leading to the upper end of the cylinder. 42 indicates a duct leading from the lower end of the cylinder and connected to the alined outlet ports 43 which are in registry with the recess 36'; The recess nected by a duct 46 to the discharge pipe 44,

whereas the outlet ports 43, 43, are closed by the plunger and the recess 38' registers with alined inlet. Ports 41 formed in the casing and sleeve, which ports at one side thereof are connected with the inlet duct 39 and at their other side connected by a branch duct 48 with the duct 42. Accordingly, in one position of the plunger, the inlet duct 33 for the fluid is connected with the cylinder at one side of the piston 29 and the cylinder at the opposite side of the piston is connected to the discharge pipe 44 and in the other position of the plunger these connections are reversed.

As shown in Fig. 1, the face of the upper and wall of the cylinderand the lower face of the piston 23' are relieved annularly to insure fluid pressure against the piston when it is at either end of the cylinder and is to be moved toward its opposite end.

The operating means for the plunger 31 consists of a double acting solenoid comprising spaced coils 49, 49' and a core 50 connected to the upper end of the plunger 31, the circuits for the coils 49, 49' being separately closed to energize either coil to effect movement of the core from one position to the other position to operate the plunger. It will be understood that the circuits for the coils 49 or 49' are simultaneously closed by a suitable switch so that both plungers 28 will be moved together in the same direction.

What I claim is:

1. In a wheel, the combination with an axle and an arm in which one end of said axle is mounted, of a tired wheel mounted on said axle, said wheel including a rim for the tire, the end portion of said rim adjacentsaid arm being ofl set to form an annular chamber, braking elements mounted in said chamber, said arm being formed with an opening extending, radially of said axle, and means mounted in said opening and operatively connected to said braking elements for operating the latter.

2. A wheel as claimed in claim 1 wherein said braking elements consist of a series of annular disks, alternate disks being splined to the side wall of said off-set, a pressure member having a collar within said chamber and to which the f other disks are splined and diametrically related plungers disposed parallel to said axle and engaging said pressure member and arranged to be I set to form an annular chamber, brakin elements mounted in said chamber, and means .carried by said arm for operating said braking elements, said operating means consisting of a cylinder and a piston, a rod between said piston and the braking elements, means for supplying a, fluid under pressure to the opposite ends of said cylinder, a valve for controlling the flow of the fluid to either end of the cylinder and its dis charge from the opposite end of the cylinder and means for operating said valve.

4. In a wheel, the combination with an axle and a bifurcated member supportin the opposite ends of said axle, a rim around said axle, a tire mounted on said rim, one outer end portion of said rim being enlarged to form an anend, of a wheel having an axle supported at its I opposite ends in the bifurcations of saidmember'and a hollow member surrounding said axle, one end of said hollow member being shaped to form an annular chamber, and a brake comprising a series of annular disks surrounding said axle and mounted in said chamber for movement axially of said axle, an annular pressure member mounted in the outer end of said chamber and provided with an inwardly extending circumferential wall, alternate disks being splined to the side wall of said chamber and the remaining disks being splined to said wall, spaced plungers mounted in the bifurcation related to said chamber for movement parallel to said axle and connected to said pressure member, cams for operating said plungers in one direction and means for operating said cams.

6. In a wheel, the combination with an axle and a bifurcated member supporting the oppo-.

site ends of said axle of a wheel having a rim rotatably mounted on said axle, one outer end portion of said rim being enlarged to form an annular chamber, braking elements consisting nular chamber, bearings between said rim and axle, a plurality of annular braking elements in side by side relation in said chamber, and means in the bifurcation adjacent said braking eleof a series of annular disks in side by side relation in said chamber, a collar in said chamber surrounding said rim, alternate disks being splined to the side wall of said chamber and the other disks being splined to said collar, a plunger mounted in the bifurcation adjacent said chamber to move inwardly parallel to said axle to operate said disks into frictional engagement, a thrust rod carried by said bifurcation and mo-vable radially of said axle, means for reciprocating said thrust rod, and co-acting elements between said thrust rod and said plunger arranged to move the latter inwardly when said rod is moved in one direction.

7. A Wheel as claimed in claim 6 wherein said plunger is fixed to said collar and a spring operated element is provided between said rod and said plunger for moving the latter outwardly to release said disks upon movement of said rod in the opposite direction.

8. In a wheel, the combination with an axle and a bifurcated member fixedly supporting the opposite ends of said axle, of a wheel having a rim rotatably mounted on said axle, one end portion of said rim being enlarged to form an annular chamber, a collar in said chamber surrounding said rim, braking elements in said chamber consisting of a series of disks, alternate disks being splined to the side wall of said chamber and the other disks being splined to said collar, diametrically related plungers disposed parallel to said axle in the bifurcation related to said chamber, connected to said collar and movable inwardly to operate said collar and effect frictional engagement between said disks, said bifurcation being formed with an opening extending radially of said axle and said axle being formed with a through diametrically extending opening registering with said radial opening, a thrust rod extending through said openings, means for reciprocating said rod, and co-acting elements between said rod and said plungers for simultaneously operating the latter inwardly when said rod is moved in one direction.

' EDWARD E. WALLACE. 

